Mike Haridopolos readying 2012 U.S. Senate campaign

January 13, 2011|By Aaron Deslatte, Tallahassee Bureau

TALLAHASSEE -- Senate President Mike Haridopolos is inviting big Republican donors to a "private strategy meeting" in Orlando next month and asking them to bring $10,000 with them for his U.S. Senate campaign, according to an e-mail a GOP fundraiser sent out this week.

Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, had been expected to announce soon he will challenge incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson in the 2012 Senate race. The letter – along with a new Web site touting his candidacy -- all but makes it official.

"Senator Mike Haridopolos asked that I invite you to a private strategy session on Thursday, February 3rd in Orlando to discuss his candidacy for United States Senate. The meeting will take place at the Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport at 11:00 a.m.," reads the e-mail from prominent GOP fundraiser Meredith O'Rourke, who's raised money for former Govs. Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist.

"The senator would greatly appreciate it if you would consider raising $10,000 to Friends of Mike H and have it in hand for the strategy session," the e-mail added.

Haridopolos did not return phone calls Thursday. Former U.S .Sen. George LeMieux – who was appointed by Crist to finish the term of retired U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez -- has also been considering challenging Nelson, but Haridopolos will have an advantage in the leverage of his current job as the Senate's presiding officer.

"He's going to have a lot of support," said GOP lobbyist Brian Ballard.

Another potential candidate is U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, R-Fort Myers, who is the son of the former Florida U.S. senator of the same name.

Haridopolos has been taking steps to position himself for a run at Nelson. Last July, the Brevard County lawmaker publicly bashed Nelson in a letter for supporting the federal health-care reform law and "inaction" concerning the mothballing of the space shuttle fleet and the federal response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

"Florida deserves better, especially from its senior senator. We need true leadership, not more of the same inaction," Haridopolos wrote.

He has also shifted his position on issues likely to be a liability with the tea party wing of the GOP base. For instance, Haridopolos this week backed off his past support for a $2.7 billion high-speed rail project connecting Tampa and Orlando, claiming it would cost too much.

In 2009, he said he publicly supported Central Florida's commuter rail project, in part, because it would pave the way for securing federal funding for the high-speed line that would tie into it. This week, Haridopolos said he wanted no state tax dollars going to the project.